Separate-leaf book



No. 625,050. 7 Patented May I6, I899.- L. In. mmnzn.

SEPARATE LEAF 800K. (Applicatinn fllad June 24, IBQBJ (No Model.)

UNITED STATES PATENT j OFFICE.

LUCENA M. MORDEN, OF PORTLAND, OREGON.

SEPARATE-LEAF BOOK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 625,050, dated May 16, 1899.

' Application filed June 24, 1898. Serial No. 684,438- No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, LUCENA M. MQRDEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Portland, in the-county of Multnomah and State of Oregon, have invented a new and useful Separate-Leaf Book, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings as a part hereof.

My invention relates to blank books of the class known as separate-leaf books-that is to say, a book in which a number of loose sheets of paper are removably secured between a base and cover, enabling the removal and reinsertion or substitution of the separate leaves or sections'thereof. The mani fold advantages of such blank books so readily impress themselves upon the thinking world as to render any reference thereto unnecessary; but as such books are known to me their efficient use is still hampered by numerous structural imperfections, causing annoying inconveniences.

The object of my invention is to overcome these defects.

The particular defects which I have in mind and the manner in which I remedy the same may be briefly stated as follows: One of the chief features of this kind of blank book is that by its use one may remove imperfect or completed matter for destruction or preservation and substitute other blank leaves on which to correct or complete such imperfect matter or on which to re-begin or continue the particular subject which one desires to tabulate, chronologize, or essay. The user of such book is never without blank space on which to continue his work in uninterrupted and classified order, and this is true regardless of the number of subjects which are being handled in the same book. One of the primary features of such blank books is the means employed for removably binding or securing the loose leaves between the base and cover. Whatever contrivance be employed for this purpose, it is a part of the efficient use of the books that the sheets of paper may at all times be so arranged as to lie perfectly flat without holding to make it easy to write thereon, and as a second essential feature to avoid disarrangement of the leaves the binding contrivance should be adapted to permit any portion of the leaves to be removed and substituted, while still securely holding the sheets not to be disturbed. These features are attained by the binder invented by me, the construction of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, referring to which Figure 1 is a perspective of a separate-leaf book embodying my invention. I Fig. 2 is a partial vertical longitudinal section of a base and cover and a quantity of loose leaves secured between the same by means of a hinged binder, the dotted lines representing the cover and all the leaves as folded under the base for the purpose of illustrating that the same may be turned completely under the base. Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section of the binding contrivance. Fig. 4is a plan of such binder, and Fig.5 is a partial plan of the base to which the loose leaves are attached by the hinged binder.

The letters designate the parts referred to.

In my invention the separate sheets are bound between the outer covers of strawboard, which I will distinguish from each other by calling the under board athe base and the upper board I) the cover. To the upper edge of the base aI rivet a strip of folded metal 0, having two notches, as d, out in it. The folded edge of the metal strip a protrudes beyond the edge of the base a sufficiently to receive a small rod or pintle e. By

this rod or pintle I hinge the pair of binders f. Each of such binders consists of a rectangular ring provided with an eye f and a bar f or opening portion hinged to the body of the ring by'a pin f thereby adapting the bar f to be opened sidewise. As locking means the free end of said bar is provided with a tongue f to be received in a groove f, the free end of the bar f being sprungdown when inserting the tongue thereof in said groove.

The cover I) is joined to the base a by means of a cloth hinge g,'the inner edge of the base being kept free, so as not to interfere with the binding-rings. The loose sheets h to be bound between the base and cover are perforated at their binding edges and then affixed on the binders, as shown.

From the construction described it will be observed that the ring-binders while securely holding the papers at the sametime permit any part of the same to be folded over into a flat pad Without any bulging. This flat-lying feature of the book does away with unnecessary labor in writing, notably in this respect that there is no holding of the forward leaves or even of the book itself necessary. Then in removing, filling in, or otherwise rearranging the leaves the sheets not to be disturbed are not disjoined, but remain secured. In fact, as is obvious, no portions of the book other than that which is to be rearranged is released from the binding, which practically at all times holds the book together even while removing a portion of its leaves, and it will be further observed that the writer has the full use of the page, no portion thereof being covered by the binding device.

The books are to be manufactured of varying convenient sizes, and when to be used for several subjects sections of leaves are separated from each other by means of cardboard partitions of graded lengths, the edges of which are suitably labeled.

Now what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a blank-book binder, in combination, a base having a recess, or slot, in its upper edge, a knuckle attached to such edge, a filering hinged in such recess, the file-ring having an opening portion, and means for keepingsuch opening portion closed, substantially as described.

2. In a blank-book binder, in combination, a base having a recess or slot in its upper edge,

a knuckle formed of a strip of folded metal, correspondingly slotted, and attached to such edge, and a file-ring, in such recess, hinged in such knuckle, the file-ring having a hinged opening portion, the free end of which opening portion, and the contacting end of the main body of the ring are adapted to look when brought in contact with each other upon the closing of the ring, substantially as described.

' 3. A blank book comprising, in combination, a base and cover joined thereto bya strip of flexible material, leaving the inner or binding edge of the base free, recesses or slots in such inner edge, a knuckle made of a strip of folded metal, or clip, correspondingly slotted and attached to said edge, and file-rings in said recesses, hinged in such knuckle, the filerings having a hinged opening portion, the free end of which opening portion, and the contacting end of the main bodyof the ring, are adapted to look when brought in contact with each other upon the closing of the rings, and a number of loose sheets of paper inserted on such file-rings, their binding edges being suitably perforated, substantially as described.

Signed by me, in the presence of two witnesses, this 26th day of May, 1898.

LUOENA M. MORDEN. Witnesses:

O. O. PALMER, T. J. GEIsLnR. 

